Slicing machine



May 1, 1928.

H. STUKART SLIDING momma 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 31. l 923 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 m m R H. STUKART SLICING MACHINE May 1, 1928.

' Filed Dec. 31. 1923 May 1, 1928.

H. STUKART smcxne mcnnm '1 Shee ts-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 31. 1923 U i w P A kw II. 1:11. .7 l I .Z 1 u I I I I l I l I I l IIIIIILIIIIII IIl-l' lllI' l-I'll! |l Hy n" W May 1, 1928.

H. STUKART SLICING MACHINE Filed Dec. 31. 1923 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 May '1, 1928.

H. STUKART SLICING MACHINE 7 SheetS -Shee t 7 Filed Dec. 31, 1923 Patented May 1, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Human: STUKABT, or LA roars, INDIANA, assmnon TO U. s. sLIcInG MA HINE COMPANY, OF LA FORTE, INDIANA, A COBIORATION OF INDIANA.

SLICING MAGHIN E.

Application filed December 81, 1923.. Serial No. 683,548.

- which shall be of improved construction and Fill operation, which shall be provided with mechanism for stacking the slices, and which may be hand operated.

The invent on 1S exemplified in the combination and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings and described in the following specification, and it is more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a slicing machine embodying one form of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation. with parts in section;

Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views of details;

Fig.5 is a fragmentary top plan view, with parts broken away;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary front elevat1on. with the stacker removed and parts broken away;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary top plan view, with parts in section; i

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the stacker mechanism and receiving table as applied to the slicing machine;

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the receiving table; and

Figs. 10 and 11 are fragmentary sectional views showing details of construct-ion.

As shown in the drawings the numeral 15 designates the base or main frame of a slicingv machine having a main drive shaft 16 journaled therein and provided with a fly-wheel 17 and a handle 18 for hand operation of the machine. ries guides or ways 19 having a meat table or carriage 2O slidably mounted thereon. A meat plate 21 is mounted to slide on the carriage 20 in a direction transverse to the movement of the carriage 20. A. clamp of any suitable construction may be provided for securing the material to be sliced upon the plate 21 and any wellknown form of feed mechanism may be en'iployed to feed the plate 21 forwardly the thickness of a slice after the completion of eachreciprocation of thetable 20.

The table 20 is reciprocated by a pitman The frame 15 car- 0 rod 23 pivotally connected at 24to the table 20, the pitman rod being driven by a crank, not shown, but connected to the upright shaft 25. The shaft-25 is journaled in a bearing 26 in the main frame 15 and carries a crown gear 27 driven by a beveled gear 28 secured to the main drive shaft 16. Fastened to the shaft 25 beneath the crown gear 27 is a cam disc 29 fixed to the shaft 25 by a pin 30 and nut 31. The camv disc 29 is provided with a cam groove 32 which operates a cam roller 33 mounted on the end of the reciprocating arm or lever 34. The lever 34 is pivoted on a stud 35 extending downwardly from the frame 15 and the end of the lever 34 opposite the cam roller-.33 'arries a bearing pin or stud 36 fixed in a recess 37 in the end of the lever.

A collar 38 is journaled on the pin 36 and receives the bifurcated end of a link 39. Each bifurcation of the link 39 is provided with a screw 40 which projects into openings in the collar 38, thus permitting the link 39 to swing in a horizontal direction about theend ofthe lever34 while the collar 38 permits of vertical movement of the link about the end of the lever. The forward end of the link 39 is pivoted at- 41 to an arm 42 extending downwardly from the rock shaft 43 which is journaled in brackets 44 project ing forwardly from a supporting plate 45 upon which is mounted a conveyer frame for transferring slices after they have been severed from the material upon which the machine operates. The plate 45 is fitllflflfll ed a pairof brackets 46 secured to the main frame 15 by cap screws 47. The shaft 43 carries an upwardly extending arm 48 to which a seriesof laterally projecting fingers 49 are attached. v

By the chain of connections described, ro tation of the handwheel 1'7 will impartan oscillatory movement to the arm 48 and ringer-s49 for depositing slices as they are formed by the slicing machine. To take up any lost motionin the chain of mechanism the shaft 43 is surrounded by a coil spring odhaving one end attached to a collar 51 and the other end securcdto the bearing 44 in which the shaft 43 isjournaled. The ten-' sion on the spring 50 may be regulated by a set screw 52 by which the collar 51 is held in adjusted positions on the shaft 43. Since the spring 50tends to rotate the shaft 43 it will hold the connected parts of the chain of mechanism between the shaft. and the cam .29 in close contact with one another and press the roller 33 firmly against the cam surface by which it is operated. If the various hearings wear in time so as to permit a slight displacement of the shaft 43 under the tension of the spring 50 the position of the fingers alt) and arm 48 may be readjusted by means of a turnbuckle 53 interposed between the ends of the link 39 and provided with lock nuts 54. as shown in Fig. 2. A positive operation of the discharge fly. including the arm lb and lingers 49, is thus provided and the llv is always returned to a definite position at the close of each oper aiiou so that it may properly cooperate with the slice conveyer in a manner to be described. The initial position of the fly may be adjusted by the turnbuckle 53 whenever conditions require.

The lingers ii) are secured to the arm 48 by means of a cover plate 55 held in place hv a series of screws 56. The fingers 49 are ai'cuate in section, as shown in Fig. and may be formed from tubes split longitudinally. The arm -l8 is provided with a series of ribs 57 which have arcuate notches cut. therein to receive the convex faces of the fingers it) and the cover plate 55 carries a series of projections on the rear face thereof which extend into the concave portions of the fingers 49. A pair of screws 56 is provided for each linger and these screws are located between the ribs 57. This arrangement provides a three-point bearing for each linger with intermediate tightening screws so that any irregularity in the bearing surfaces may be taken up by properly tightening the screws, thus avoiding any looseness oravabble in the lingers.

As the table 20 reciprocates on its guides 19 slices are severed from the material held in the clamp 22 by means of the rotary disc knife 58. As the slices are formed they are received by a series of pins 59 mounted on the conveyor flights 60. The pins 59, as shown in F 3. have elongated tapered portions which provide relatively fine points for entering the slices, but ait'ord sutlicient strength near the bases of the pins to prevent: easy bending. The pins pass through openings threaded into reinforcing strips til) which are thus held against the flights 60 to stifl'en the flights and lock the pins in place thereon. The conveyor flights 60 are formed integrally with triangular plates 61 pivoted to one another at (32 to constitute a conveyer chain. The conveyor flights 60 are provided with link plates 61 both at the top and bottom of the flights. The link plates 61 are connected together by pivot bolts 63 which extend beyond the plates and carry rollers 64 which travel in guideways at the top and bottom of the conveyor frame rcspcctivcly. These guidcways are formed by plates 66 and (57 at the top of the conveyer frame and (38 and (it) at the bottom of the frame. The edges of the plates are bent laterally in spaced relation to one another providing walls for the guideways in which the rollers 64; travel. The upper and lower plates are held together and spaced from one another by three upright rods or bars 70, 71 and 72. This arrangement provides a self-contained frame upon which the conveyer is mounted and which may be lifted bodily from the slicing machine if desired.

The conveyor frame is supported upon the plate 45 and held in place by a pair of removable pins 73 and 74 which extend through openings in the bottom plates (38 and (i9 and enter recesses 75 and 76, respectively, in lugs projecting upwardly from the plate 45, as shown in Figs. 1 and As will he understood from Fig. 7 the pin 73 constitutes a pivotal support. about which the entire conveyor frame may be slightly rotated in a horizontal direction to move the left-hand end, as viewed in that figure, toward and away from the slicin; knife 58.

To regulate the position of the conveyor frame relative to the knife a plate or lever 77 is pivoted adjacent the plate (59 on the spacing bar 72. The central portion of the lever is provided with a pivotal opening for receiving the pin 74 and the plates 68 and 69 are provided with a somewhat elongated opening 78 through which the pin 74 projects. Movement of the lever 77 about the pin 74- will swing the left-hand end of the conveyor frame toward or away from the slicing knife thus providing accurate adjustment of the position of the conveyor frame relative to the knife. The lever 77 is held in its adjusted positions by means of a screw 79 passing through an elongated slot 80 in the end of the lever and threaded into the plate 6.).

A guide plate or shield 81 mounted adjacent the knife 58 and is su 'iported on a block S2 carried by a bar 83. The bar 83 is connected at its upper and lower ends. rcspectively, to angle brackets 84 and 85 which are adjustable about the rod 72 to move the guard 81. toward and away from the knife 58 relative to the conveyor frame. It. will be understoml that this adjustment is in addition to the adjustment of the entire frame toward and from the knife.

The plate 81 is provided with a series of slots 86 through which the points of the conveyor pins 59 project as the conveyor travels around the end of the frame. This holds the slice in place as it moves about the end of the conveyor frame and the shape of the plate 81 may be such as to force the slice baclnvardly upon the pins a suflicient distance to insure retaining the slice in place on the pins until it is discharged therefrom by the fingers 49. It will be noted that the position of the slice on the ins is in substantial alinement with the pivotal joints in the conveyer chain so that the supporting portions of the pins remain a constant distance apart during their movement about the end of the conveyer frame, thus avoiding any stretching or wrinkling of the slice.

The conveyer is actuated from the reciprocating table 20 by means of a lever arm 87 pivotally mounted on a pin 88 carried by a bracket 89 secured to the reciprocating table 20. The upper end of the arm 87 supports a pin 90 threaded into the end of the arm 87, the arm being slotted and .provided with a screw 91 by which the pin 90 may be locked in place. The pin 90 may be provided with a thumb nut 92 and a shoulder 93. The thumb nut 92 is removably held in place by a lock pin 91 and a bearing block 95 is interposed between the thumb nut and the shoulder 98. The block 95 is jonrnaled on the pin 90 and is rectangular in shape, as shown in Fig. 4. This block is slidably mounted in an elongatedopening 96 in an upright bar 97 which joins the endmost links of the conveyer chains.

As the arm 87 is carried back and forth with the reciprocating table 20 it will produce a reciprocating movement of the slice conveyer so that the slices are taken up by the pins 59 as they are severed bythe knife and are carried about the end of the conveyer frame to the front face thereof. The pins 59 at the front of the conveyer frame pass between the. fingers 49 of the discharge fly so that when the fly'is operated by the cam 29 the slice willbe stripped from the pins and deposited on a suitable receiving plate. During the movement of the carriage Q0 the arm 87 is held against rotation on the pin 88 by a cam roller 98 at the lower end of the arm which travels in a guide channel 99.

The form of the guide channel 99 is best shown in Fig. 6. At the beginning of the feeding movement of the table 20 the arm 87 is in the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 6 with the roller 98 hearing against the upper flange 100 of the channel 99. As the fulcrum 88 of the arm is moved forward by the table 20 in a direction parallel with the flange 100 the roller 98 will be held in contact with the upper flange by the torsion due to the load of the conveyer chain on the pin 90. As the table 20 approaches the end. of its movement after the slice has been severed the roller 98 will strike the downwardlv curved portion 101 of the flange 100, thus checking the movement of the roller 98 and imparting an. accelerated movement to the upper end of the arm 87 and the slice conveyer attachedthereto. This accelerated movement carries the slice about the curved end of the conveyer frame into position to be discharged and the parts are so timed that. the discharge fly will operate at the time that the table 20 reverses its movement at which time the conveyer will be stationary.

It has been found desirable to avoid a quick reversal of the movement of the. conveyer at the end of its accelerated forward movement and for this reason the lower flange 102 of the guide channel 91 is given agradual inclination for the purpose of returning the arm 87 to its initial position shown in broken lines in Fig. '6. In order to retain the roller 98 upon the guide flange 102 and prevent any oscillation of thelever 87 while the roller is traveling in the portion of the channel 99 which is of greater width than the diameter of the roller, it has been found desirable to provide a friction member 103 which bears against an arcuate flange 104 under pressure exerted by the spring 105. Vithont the use of restraining member of this kind the reverse movement of the feed table imparts sufficient momentum to the conveyor so that at some point in the reverse movement the conveyer is apt {to over-run as the motion of the table is checked near the reverse end of the stroke. l/Vhen this-occurs the roller 98 will be swung upwardly against the flange 100 and thus produce a knocking sound in the operation of the machine. The friction member- 103 prevents this occurrence.

The slices are received from the discharge fly upon a plate or table 106. The table 106 is supported upon Sbider 107 having adjustable hooks or clamps 108 and stops 109 for removably clamping the plate 106 upon its supportingspider. The spider 107 is carried by a crossbar 110 which is secured to the forward ends of a pair of supporting rods 111. The supporting rods 111 project forwardly from the main frame 15 and are provided with cap screws 112 .at their forward ends which pass through the ends of the cross-bar 110 and are threaded into the. supporting rods 111. The central portion of the cross-bar 110 is curved rearwardly and carries a spring catch 113, as shown in Fig. 10. This catch engages the front edge of a crumb tray 114 which rests upon the rods 111 between the bar-110 and the front face of the main frame 15, asshown in Figs. 2 and 5.

A rod 115 is journaled at one side of the table 106 in bearings 116 carried on the spider 107. 'tached to opposite ends of the rod 115 and A pair. of fingers 117' are atpaper to be wrapped about the slices deposited upon its upper surface.

1. The combination with a slicing machine, of means for discharging slices therefrom, and a cam having an upright axis of rotation for operating said discharging means.

2. The combination with a slicing machine having a main drive shaftand a crown gear operated by said drive shaft, of means for discharging slices from said machine, and a cam connected with said crown gear for rotation therewith, said discharging means being actuated by said cam.

3. The combination with a slicing machine having a main drive shaft, an upright shaft operated by said main drive shaft, and a cam connected with said upright shaft, of means for discharging slices from said slicing machine, and means for actuating said discharging means from said cam.

-t. The combination with a slicing machine having a reciprocating table, a main drive shaft, an upright shaft actuated by said main drive shaft. a crank connected with said upright shaft, and means for actuating said reciprocating table from said upright shaft, of a cam connected with said upright shaft, a device for discharging slices from said slicing machine. and a lever actuated by said -am for operating said discharging device.

5. The combination with a slicing machine having a rotary slicing knife, means for driving said knife, a cam connected with said driving means, a horizontal lever actuated bv said cam, and means operated by said lever for discharging slices formed by said knife.

(3.111 a slicing machine, a horizontally disposed frame plate, an upright shaft. pas ing through said frame plate, a cam secured to said shaft. beneath said frame plate, a lever pivoted beneath said frame plate for oscillation about an upright axis, said lever being operated by said cam, and mechanism actuated by said lever for discharging slices from said slicing machine.

T. A slicing machine having a. rotar slicing knife. a supporting frame for said knife. mechanism for driving said knife, a cam connected with said driving mechanism, a horizontally disposed lcve' actuated by said cam. mechanism for discharging slices formed by said knife, and a link connected with one end of said lever for actuating said slice discharging mechanism. said link being pivoted to said lever to move in two directions relative thereto.

8. A slicing machine comprising a frame plate, a horizontally disposed drive shaft journaled beneath said frame plate, an upright shaft extending tl'irouglr said frame plate, beveled gears for actuating said upright shaft from said main drive shaft, a cam disc secured to said upright shaft bencath said frame plate. a horizontally disposed lever pivoted beneath said frame plate for movement about an upright axis. a roller carried, b v one end of said lever and engaging said cam to be actuated thereby, a link pivoted to the end of said lever opl'iosite said cam roller and having angular movement in two directions relative thereto. and a reciprocating ll) actuated by said link for discharging slices from said slicing machine.

5,). The combination with a slicing machine having driving means. of a device for discharging slices from said slicing machine, means for connecting said disc iarging dcvice with said driving means. and a spring for taking up lost motion in the connection between said driving means and slice discharging device.

10. The combination with a slicing ma chine having driving means, of a reciprocating s'lice discharging device, aml means for C(Hlllttl'tlllg' said discharging device with said driving means, said connecting means being adjustable to regulate the position of said discharging device.

11. The combination with a. slicing machine having driving means therefor, ot' a reciprocating slice discharging device, and a link connecting said driving means and dis charging device, said link being extensible and contractable to adjust the position of said discharging device.

12. The combination with a slicing machine having driving means, of a slice discharging device, means for connecting said dischargin device with said driving means. a spring for taking up lost motion in the connection between said driving means and slice discharging device, and means for adjusting said connection to vary the position of said discharging device.

It. The combination with a. slicing ma chine having driving means, of a reciprocaling lever actuated by said driving means. av rcci irocating fly for discharging slices. a link connecting said lever and tl v, and a spring tending to move said llv in one direction to maintain close contact between said tl v and the operating parts connected thereto, said link being adjustable in length to vary the position of said tl v.

I l. The combination with a slicing machine having driving means, of a cam operated by said driving means, a slice discharging dcvicc, means for actuating said slice discharging device from said cam. and a spring for maintaining close contact between said cam and said actuating means.

15. The combination with a slicing machine having driving mechanism. of a cam connected with said driving n'iechanism for rotating about an upright axis, a horizontally disposed lever operated by said cam,

a discharge fiy pivoted to move about a hori zontal axis, almk connecting said lever and fly, a spring tending to rotate said fly about its axis to maintain close connections between said fly, link, lever and cam, and means for adjusting the length of said link to var the position of said fly;

16, The combination with a slicing machine, of reciprocating mechanism for receiving slices therefrom, and means for i1n parting a differentiate of speed to said mechanism during movement in one direction thereof from the speed of said m chanism during its reverse movement.

17. The combination with a slicing machine, of reciprocating mechanism for re ceiving s'lices therefrom, and a pair of cam tracks for controlling said reciprocating mechanism, said cam tracks having different contours to impart different characters of movement to said receiving mcchanisn'i in the different directions of said movement.

18. The combination with a slicing machine, of a reci ricating device for receiving slices there rom, means for imparting rapid acceleration to said device as it ap proaches the end of its receiving movement,

and means for imparting less rapid acceleration to said deviceon its return movement.

.19. The combination with a, slicing machine having a slicing knife and a reciprocating feed table, of aconveyer for receiving slices as they are formed by said knife, means for accelerating the movement of said conveyer relative to the movement of said table as said table approaches the end of a feeding movement, and means for imparting less rapid acceleration to said conveyer during the return movement of said table.

20. The combination with a slicing machine having a reciprocatingtable and a slicing knife, of a conveyer for receiving slices formed by said knife, a lever pivoted to said reciprocating table and connected with said conveyer, and a cam track for controlling said lever, said cam track having a portion for causing said conveyer to travel in unison with said table during a slicing operation and for giving an accelerated motion to said conveyer at the completion of said slicing operation and having a different portion for controlling said lever during the return movement of said table to impart to said conveyer a gradually accelerated movement relative to said table.

21. A slicing machine comprising a reciprocating work supporting table, a knife for slicing material carried by said table, a con'veyer for receiving slices formed by said knife, means carried by said table for driving .said conveyer, a pair of spaced cam tracks for controlling said conveyer driving means, and a friction device for preventing lost motion of said conveyer driving means.

22. A slicing machine comprising a reahout'its pivot to prevent free movement of said roller from one to cam tracks.

23. A slicing machine comprising a reciprocating table, a slicing knife, a conveyer for receiving slices formed by said knife, a member secured to said table for actuatin said conveyer, a pivot pin carried by said member for engaging said conveyer,

the other of said an actuating member secured to said conveyer having a slot therein for receiving said pivot pin, and a rectangular head journaled on said pivot pin and slidably mountedin a slot in said actuating member.

. 24. The combination with a slicing machine of a conveyer for receiving slices therefrom, means for discharging slices from said conveyor and a cam having an upright axis of rotation for operating said discharging means. i

25, The combination with a slicing machine having a main drive shaft, an upright shaft operated by said maindrive shaft, and a cam connected with said upright shaft, of a conveyer'for receiving slices from said slicing machine, means for dis charging the slices from said conveyor, and means for actuating said discharging means from said cam.

26. A slice discharging device for slicing machines comprising a reciprocating arm having spaced ribs extending longitudinally thereof, slice engaging fingers extending transversely of said arm and fitted into depressions formed in said ribs, a holding member engaging said fingers, and a plurality of screws arranged between said ribs for securing said holding member against said fingers to lock said fingers in place on said arm. a

A slice discharging device for slicing machines comprising a reciprocating arm having spaced longitudinally extending ribs thereon, a plurality of transversely curved fingers arranged transversely of said arm and fitted into notches formed in said ribs, a cover plate having projections thereon for engaging said fingers, and screws forholding said cover plate and fingers in position on said arm, said screws being located in pairs intermediate said ribs, there being one pair of screws for each finger.

28. The combination with a slicing machine, of stacking mechanism for discharging slices from said machine, a horizontally disposed table for receiving the slices from said discharging mechanism, and a clamp for securing a sheetof paper or like material to the upper face of said table, said clamp comprising a spring actuated shaft harin clamping fingers for engaging the paper on said table and having; a thumb lever for releasing said fingers against the tension of said spring. j

:29. The combination with a slicing machine. of slice discharging mechanism thercfor. a table for re living slices from said discharging mechanism, a support for said table. a erlllnh tray positioned on said sup port beneath said slice discharging mechanism, and a spring catch for retainine said crumb tray in position on said support.

:1 The combination with a slicing ma chine. of a slice receiving conveyor, and means for adjusting said conveyor toward and from said slicing machine.

31. The combination with a slicing machine having a slicing knife. a frame mounted adjacent said knife and having, a slice receiving conveyor thereon means for adjusting said frame and conveyor toward and from said knife, and means for locking said frame and conreyer in their adjusted posilion.

$32. The combination With a slicing machine having a slicing, knife, a frame pivotally mounted adjacent said machine with one end thereof adjacent said knife, a lever for swinging said end of said frame toward and from said knife. means for locking, said lever to hold said frame in its adjusted positions, and a slice receiving conveyer carried by said frame.

33. A slicingmachinc eomprisinga slicing knife, a conveyer frame pivoted on said machine and having one end thereof arranged adjacent said slicing knife, a guard on said frame havingone edge thereof litted against the face of said knife, said guard being adjustable on said frame toward and from said knife and means for adjusting said frame and guard in unison with one another toward and from said knife.

Ill. The combination with a slicing machine having a slicing knife thereon. of a convey r frame having" one end thereof :u'ljaccnt said knife and pivotally mounted on said machine at a point spaced from said knife, a lever pivoted on said frame at the end thereof adjacent said knife and fulcrumed on a pivot fixed to said slicing machine to permit said frame to be swung toward and from said knife by movement of said lever about its fulcrum, and means for locking said lever in its adjusted positions.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification on this 27th day of-Deeemher A. D. 1923.

HENDRIX STUKART. 

